Non-governmental organisations, public sector bodies, private sector representative groups and researchers with an interest in ageing, youth, family, social policy and social justice.

About the Project

Changing Generationssheds light on how people of all ages are coping at a time of great challenges for the Irish economy and society. Intergenerational solidarity refers to how people of different generations live together, help and depend on one another in their daily lives, and how they perceive the social policies that support individuals at different life stages. Our findings indicate extensive reliance on family members to meet needs for care, financial assistance and housing across the life course, particularly among families with least economic resources. A key finding of the study pertains to how people observe pressures on other family generations and adjust their expectations of help and support provision by family members accordingly. Little evidence of intergenerational conflict features and support for policies that rely on intergenerational solidarity (e.g. pensions, medical care for families with children) is strong. The research report and the event aim to facilitate discussion between key audiences on the future directions of policy and practices that support intergenerational solidarity in Ireland.